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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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IllM 

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1.8 


1.25 


1.4    lil.6 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14500 

(716)  872-4503 


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CiHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


.-^<»ra»«--.~™.-,,,,«ttfcja;^.jjj5jj3g55jj^J;gg2S^^  '""' 


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Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographtcally  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


D 
□ 
D 
D 
D 
D 
D 

D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommag6e 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurde  et/ou  pellicul6e 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 

Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  g6ographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 

Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relid  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  reliure  serr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intdrieure 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
11  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajoutdes 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  6tait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  filmees. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppldmentaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm^  le  meilleur  exemplairo 
qu'il  lui  a  6t6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exempiaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  methods  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 

□   Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

□    Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagdes 

I      I    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 


D 


Pages  restaur^es  et/ou  pellicul6es 

Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxei 
Pages  d6color6es,  tachet^es  ou  piqu^es 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  d6tach6es 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prir 

Quality  in6gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  materia 
Comprend  du  material  supplementaire 


I — I  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 

I      I  Pages  detached/ 

I      I  Showthrough/ 

I      I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

I      I  Includes  supplementary  material/ 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  whol!y  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6t6  filmdes  d  nouveau  de  fagon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqud  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


X 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


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fit  modifier 
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The  copy  filmed  here  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Library  of  Congress 
Photoduplication  Service 

The  irpages  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grAce  &  la 
gdn6rosit6  de: 

Library  of  Congress 
Photoduplication  Service 

Les  images  suivantes  ont  6t6  reproduites  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  nettetd  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


d/ 
lu^es 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  Original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  -^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprim^e  sont  filmds  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  ia 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film6s  en  commenpant  par  la 
premidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  teiie 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ♦-  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
ymbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


aire 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  loft  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  fiames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc..  peuvent  dtre 
filmds  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  filmd  d  ptirtir 
de  Tangle  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  ndcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


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1 


LLUSTRATED   HISTORY 


OF  THE     . 


3t.%2's  Falls 3Hi 


Showing  the  early  efforts  which  were  made  to  secure  Its 
constructlor^,  its  subsequent  enlargement  and  enormous 
increase  in  traffic,  and  the  building  of  a  second  new 
lock  by  the  U,  S.  Government, 


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TriB  KAKLV  HISTORY  OF  THE  CANAL  IS  TAKEN  FROM  MR.  W I LLI AM^CH AN DLER'S  REPORT  TO  GOV- 
ERNOR  CHARLES  M.  CROSV/ELL.  OF  MICHIGAN.  MADE  IN  1877.  WHILE  MR.  CHANDLER  WAS 
COLLECTOR    OF   THE   CANAL.  THE     NOTES      APPERTAININO      TO     THE     GOVERNMENT      WORK      HERE 

HAVE     BEEN     COMPIL^    FROM    THE   OFFICIAL    RSCORDS. 


EN    COMPILm> 

PUBLISHED  BY  CHAPHAN  &  KIBBY 
1893- 


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Knteml  lUM^onllnt;  t..  Act  of  ContTrss  In  tlic  y»ar  \m,  by  Chapiimn  &  KIbby 
III  tbc  olllce  .It  the  Mltriirliin  of  ConKrPs-s.  at  Wash\nBtoii. 


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fH  E  attention  of  the  people  of  the  Slate  was  firit  publicly  called 
to  the  importance  of  securing  a  ship  canal  around  the  rapids 
at  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  by  Governor  Mason  in  his  message  to  the 
Legislature  in  .3j7.  This  was  the  first  session  of  the  Legislature  of 
Michigan  fm  a  State,  it  having  been  admitted  into  the  Union  in 
1836.  It  was  a  year  or  two  previous  to  this  that  the  territory  now 
known  as  the  Upper  Peninsula  was  ceded  to  Michigan  by  the  Gen- 
eral Government,  in  the  settlement  of  a  boundary  difficulty  between 
Michigan  and  Ohio,  It  is  probable,  however,  that  the  importance 
of  the  canal  had  been  somewhat  agitated  previous  to  1837.  Gov- 
ernor Mason  had  been  Secretary  and  Acting  Governor  of  the  Ter- 
ritory several  years  before  its  admission  as  a  State,  and  it  seems 
likely  Ihat  his  attention  had  been  called  to  the  matter  during  the 
time  of  territorial  government.  Although  there  is  no  official  record 
of  the  fact,  it  is  probable  that  the  agitation  of  the  project  was  first 
commenced  as  soon  as  the  Upper  Peninsula  was  annexed.  Gov- 
ernor Mason  seemed  fully  conversant  with  the  subject,  for  hi 
showed  in  his  message  its  great  importance,  and  strongly  urged  the 
immediate  construction  of  the  canal.  The  Legislatu^-e  acted  fav- 
orably upon  this  recommendation,  and  on  March  ai,  1837,  an  act 
was  approved  by  the  Governor  authorizing  a  survey  to  be  made, 
providing  for  maps,  profile,  etc.,  to  be  made,  together  with  an 
estimate  of  the  cost  of  construction.  Twenty-five  thousand  dollars 
was  appropriated  by  the  act  to  cover  the  expense  to  be  incurred. 
Ujider  the  provisions  of  this  law  Governor  Mason  appointed  John 
Almy  engineer  to  make  the  survey,  plans  and  estimates.  In  the 
legislative  proceedings,  by  which  this  was  acomplished,  Henry  A. 
Lavake,  of  Chippewa  County,  took  a  leading  part. 

During  the  summer  of  18-17  Judge  Almy  completed  his  surveys. 


T 


and  reported  to  the  Governor  the  plans  for  a  canal  and  two  locks 
of  the  following  dimensions  :  width  of  canal,  75  feet  ;  depth,  10 
feet ;  width  of  locks,  3a  feet ;  length,  100  feet.  Estimated  cost, 
III  2,544. 

In  1838  Governor  Mason  again  called  the  attention  of  the 
Legislature  to  the  subject,  placing  before  that  body  the  plans 
and  estimated  cost.  He  urge'^  upon  the  Legislbture  the  importance 
of  taking  such  action  as  would  insure  the  completion  of  the  canal 
that  year.  That  body  subsequently  made  an  additional  appropria- 
tion of  |as,ooo  to  be  applied  to  its  construction,  "provided  Con- 
gress did  not  at  its  present  session  make  an  appropriation  for  that 
purpose."  This  act  became  a  law  by  the  approval  of  the  Governor 
April  5,  1838. 

Congress  made  no  appropriation  ;  therefore,  on  the  7th  day  of 
St-ptember,  1838,  a  contract  was  entered  into  in  the  city  of  Detroit, 
with  Messrs.  Smith  &  Driggs  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  to  construct  the 
canal.  The  season  being  too  far  advanced  to  admit  of  doing  much 
before  the  close  of  navigation,  the  commencement  of  the  work  was 
deferred  until  the  following  spring. 

Again,  in  1839,  the  Governor  urged  upon  the  Legislature,  in  his 
message,  the  necessity  of  a  speedy  construction  of  the  work.  This 
resulted  in  the  passage  of  an  act  vhich  became  a  law  April  19,  1839, 
authorizing  an  advance  to  be  made  to  the  contractors  by  the  Com- 
missioners of  Internal  Improvement.  This  board  consisted  of 
Edwin  H.  Lathrop,  president;  Hiram  Alden,  auditor;  Levi  S. 
Humphrey,  Lansing  B.  Miner,  James  B.  Hunt,  Wm.  A.  Burt  and 
Rix  Robinson,  acting  commissioners  for  the  Sault  Ste.  Marie  canal. 

Early  in  May,  1839,  the  contractors  proceeded  to  the  Sault  and 
commenced  work  by  filling  up  a  government  mill  race,  located 


-I .illlM-i* 


upon  the  military  reservation.  The  post  commander,  having  been 
previouBly  instructed  upon  thin  point,  ordered  the  contractorK  to 
desist ;  but  tliey  refused  to  comply,  and  continued  work  until  the 
ijth  of  May,  when  Lieut.  Rood,  at  the  head  of  his  command, 
forcibly  ejected  them  from  the  ground.  Tliis  act,  of  course,  neces- 
sitated the  abandonment  of  the  work.  There  was  actually 
expended  upon  the  work,  as  reported  by  Commissioner  Robinson  : 

By  John  Almy,  engineer f  1,153  27 

Wages  and  traveling  expenses 734  39 

Total $1,876  56 

By  a  joint  resolution,  approved  March  27,  1840,  the  Legislature  of 
Micliigan  protested  against  tliis  high-handed  act  of  tlie  United 
States,  and  demanded  reparation  for  expenses  and  loss  to  the 
State,  in  thus  preventing  an  attempt  to  improve  the  navigation  of 
waters  leading  to  a  territory  so  recently  forced  upon  her  and 
brought  within  her  jurisdiction.  States'  right?  not  prevailing  at 
that  tinu-,  this  act  of  the  Legislature  provt-J  of  no  avail. 

But  the  attempt  to  secure  the  construction  of  the  canal  was  not 
allowed  to  rest  here.  The  same  Legisliiture  adopted  a  memorial 
to  Congress,  which  was  approved  March  30th,  1840,  in  which  the 
importance  of  the  speedy  construction  of  the  canal  was  fully  set 
forth,  on  account  of  the  great  wealth  of  the  country  in  copper,  iron, 
fisheries,  furs,  pine,  timber,  and  the  value  of  the  land  for  agricul- 
tural purposes.  The  memorial  closed  by  asking  money  or  lards 
to  aid  in  its  construction.  Hon.  Samilel  Ashman,  member  of  ihe 
Legi.  'iture  from  Ciippewa  county,  took  a  deep  and  active  interest 
in  the  matter,  and  acted  as  chairman  of  the  select  committee 
which  prepared  the  memorial  above  referred  to.  Hon.  John  Nor- 
vell.  Senator  from  Michigan,  responded  to  the  request  of  the  Legis- 
lature, and  immediately  on  receipt  of  the  memorial,  presented  it  to 


Jl 


Congress,  and  Introduced  a  bill  providing  (or  a  grant  of  100,000 
acres  of  land  to  aid  in  the  construction  of  the  canal.  The  bill  was 
defeated.  Among  those  who  opjKMed  it  was  Henry  Clay,  who,  in  a 
speech  against  It,  referred  to  it  aa  "a  work  beyond  the  remotest 
settlement  in  the  United  States,  if  not  in  the  moon."  What  would 
Henry  Clay  aay  today  if  he  could  see  the  millions  of  dollars  in 
mining  products,  in  wheat,  lumber  and  fish,  which  annually  pass 
over  Lake  Superior,  and  through  the  canal  at  the  Sault^ 

Thus  the  matter  rested  until  the  meeting  of  the  Legislature  in 
1843.  Onjanuar.  34  a  joint  resolution  passed  that  body,  asking 
Congress  for  an  appropriation  for  the  construction  of  the  canal. 
Copies  of  this  action  were  str.;  to  the  Legislatures  of  New  York, 
Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Illinois  and  Wisconsin,  and  asking  their 
cooperatijii  in  the  enterprise.  Similar  resolutions  were  passed 
January  37,  1844,  and  March  9,  1848,  which  shows  that  although 
their  efforts  had  not  met  with  success,  the  friends  of  the  enterprise, 
even  alter  ten  years  of  continuous  labor,  were  not  yet  discouraged. 

In  1849,  Hon.  Jolui  Ingersull,  Representative  In  the  Legislature 
from  Chippewa  County,  and  Hon.  Jonathan  P.  Kin^,  from  Mack, 
inaw,  took  hold  of  the  matter  again,  and  secured  tiie  passage  of  a 
joint  resolution  by  the  Legislature  asking  Congress  to  appropriate 
)55oo,ooo  in  money  for  the  construction  of  the  canal.  Still  Congress 
took  no  favorable  action.  Hon.  John  Bacon,  of  Chippewa  County, 
and  Hon.  E.J.  Roberts,  of  Houghton  County,  were  members  of  the 
Legislature  of  185,,  and'working  together  secured  the  passage  o'f  a 
similar  joint  resolution,  which  was  approved  March  30,  calling  upon 
the  General  Government  for  $500,000  for  the  canal.  This  was  sent 
to  the  Legis'a'ure  of  all  ihe  States  interested,  and  their  coopera- 
tion  solicited. 

During  these  years  of  controversy  the  immense  wealth  of  the 
northern  peninsula  was  becoming  known.  The  copper  interest 
had  developed  into  a  magnitude  before  unheard  of.    The  iron  ore 


4 


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depotitB  had  become  known  m  almoRt  inexhaustible.  Instead  of 
havhiK  a  "anal  to  hasten  and  assist  in  the  development  of  the 
country,  as  its  friends  in  the  beKinning  had  hoped,  the  rapid 
growth  of  the  resources  of  the  country  was  beginning  to  attract  the 
attention  of  the  people  to  the  absolute  necessity  of  a  ship  ranal  to 
facilitate  and  cheapen  transportation.  The  plank  and  tram  road 
truiiHfers  at  the  Sault  could  no  longer  fill  the  demands  of  trade. 
The  few  faithftil  ones  who  had  worked  so  long,  though  unavailingly, 
in  behalf  of  tin  enterprise,  were  alone  no  longer.  Large  numbers 
were  now  interested,  and  everywhere  took  hold  of  the  matter  with 
an  earnestness  that  had  never  before  been  manifested,  and  urged 
upon  Congress  the  great  importance  of  a  canal  in  a  national  as  well 
as  a  commercial  point  of  view.  All  this  looked  encouraging  for  the 
success  of  tne  enterprise  in  the  near  future.  Hon.  John  Hurt,  who 
had  from  the  first  taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  enterprise,  about 
this  time  put  his  shoulder  to  the  wheel.  Through  his  efforts  others 
were  interested,  and  induced  to  contribute  their  time  and  money 
to  aid  the  great  work.  Capt.  Eber  B.  Ward,  then  most  prominently 
known  as  a  steamboat  king,  and  Sheldon  McKiiight,  another 
steamboat  man,  about  this  time  became  especially  active.  Among 
others  who  deserve  mention  in  this  connection  were  Abner  Sher- 
man, Simon  Mendelbaum,  Wm.  L.  Stephens,  Samuel  VV.  Hill, 
Heaman  B.  Ely,  Pcler  White,  and  J.  Vernon  Brown,  who  was  editor 
of  the  Lake  Superior  Journal,  putilished  at  the  Sault.  The  peo- 
ple generally  at  the  Sault  were  rather  inditfereiit  tlian  otherwise, 
but  there  were  exceptions,  among  whom  were  Samuel  Ashman, 
P.  B.  Barbeau,  S.  R.  Wood  nnd  several  others. 

Preparations  were  made  to  carry  the  matter  ""efore  Congress  in  a 
manner  never  done  before.  To  this  end  a  self-constituted  com- 
mittee (lobby  it  might  be  called  in  these  days),  consisting  of  Hon. 
John  Burt,  Capt.  E.  B.  Ward,  Sheldon  McKnight,  Abner  Sherman, 
Simon    Mendelbaum,    D.  S.   Cash,  Wm.  Willard,   E.  C.    Roberts, 


i 


Ji 


Wm.  A.  Pratt  and  J,  Vernon  Brown,  spent  most  of  the  winter  of 
1S51  and  1S53  in  Washington,  for  the  purpose  of  Inlluenclng  legisla- 
tion favorable  to  the  canal.  The  stock  In  trade  of  these  gentlemen 
consisted  of  specimens  of  copper  and  Iron  ore,  and  their  Individual 
influence  with  members  of  Congress.  Public  sentiment  was 
influenced  to  as  great  an  extent  as  possible  by  Mr.  Brown  by 
articles  in  his  paper,  copies  of  which  were  sent  to  all  the  members 
of  Coi  gress,  and  to  ilie  different  Legislatures  whose  aid  it  was 
desirable  to  secure.  It  was  made  to  appear  that  the  work  was  one 
of  great  national  importance,  besides  lis  commercial  value.  Dur- 
ing this  memorable  conleBt  Mr.  Hurt's  room  was  headquarters  for 
this  enterprise.  Here  Mr.  Brown's  articles  were  written  ;  here 
were  niemorinls  prepared,  neiit  to  the  State  Legislatures  intended 
to  be  passed  by  them,  and  then  Kent  to  their  meml)ers  of  Congress. 
The  copper  and  iron  specimens  had  a  powerful  eflect  with  the 
committee  which  had  the  matter  in  charge  The  result  of  all  this 
influence  was  the  introduction  of  two  bills  in  Ci  iigress  upon  the 
subject— one  providing  for  {1500,0(10  in  money,  and  the  other  (or 
500,000  acres  of  land,  for  the  construction  of  the  canal.  The 
opposition  of  the  Southern  members  of  Congress,  wiio  then  con- 
trolled affiiirs,  to  government  appropriations  for  internal  improve- 
ments, rendered  the  pass  ge  of  the  money  bill  impossible.  All 
eflbrts  were  then  turned  to  the  land  bill.  Enough  of  them  were 
found,  however,  who  would  vote  governttient  land  to  the  State  to 
aid  in  the  construction  of  the  canal  to  \^hb  the  bill,  which  had  in 
the  meantime  been  raised  to  750,000  acres.  Tlii.sbill  was  approved 
by  the  President  August  a6,  1852.  Much  valuable  aid  in  carrying 
this  measure  through  Congress  was  rendered  by  Gen.  Cass,  Gov. 
Felch  and  James  L.  Conger. 

Thus  it  was  only  after  fifteen  years'  almost  constant  labor  that  the 
project  was  considered  of  enough  importance  to  merit  government 
aid.     But  even  then  the  promot'.i     A  the  enterprise  felt  far  from 


ButUfied.  They  felt  no  aiiiiirance  Ihat  the  work  could  be  done  with 
the  land  within  any  reaionable  time  Hon.  Truman  Smith  of 
Connecticut  openly  declared  that  the  canal  cuuld  not  be  con- 
structed in  Wn  yearn,  if  ever,  with  this  grant.  Mr.  Brown  returned 
to  the  Sault,  and  piibiiahrd  n  very  diHcournKlng  article  regardinK 
the  pro8|>ectH.  Mr.  Hurt  was  about  the  only  person  who  had  faith. 
He  replied  warmly  to  Mr.  Hniwn's  article,  and  predicted  the  com- 
pletion of  the  canni  within  two  years, 

Inini«<1ialely  on  the  pasxnKe  of  the  act  by  Congress  making  the 
appropriation  of  land,  (iovcriKir  McClelland,  In  order  to  hasten  the. 
work  of  ('(iiiHtriu'tlon,  addreHsed  a  letter  to  tlie  Secretary  of  War, 
requeHtiuK  him  to  make  iin  ImniediHte  survey  of  tlie  proposed  canal. 
For  the  want  of  a  specific  appropriation  for  this  purpose  the  retp  st 
was  not  complied  with.  The  (Governor  then  secured  the  services  uf 
Capt.  Canfield,  United  States  Topographical  Kngineer,  to  make  the 
survey.  It  was  proceeded  with  at  once,  that  the  Governor  might 
lay  the  matter  tjefore  the  Legislature  which  convened  the  coming 
winter.  If  this  was  not  done  the  matter  would  have  to  lay  over  two 
years,  or  a  special  session  of  the  Legislature  be  called.  The  success 
of  the  enterprise  was  still  upon  uncertain  ground.  To  secure 
proper  legislation  and  prompt  action,  Mr.  Burt  again  set  to  work, 
and  with  the  aid  of  friends,  secured  the  nomination  of  his  father, 
Mr.  W.  A.  Burt,  as  a  candidate  for  the  Legislature  from  Macomb 
county.  So  great  was  the  ctmfidence  of  the  people  in  this  gentle- 
man that  no  opposing  candidate  was  put  in  the  held.  A  short  time 
before  the  election,  Hon.  Henman  B.  Ely  proceeded  to  the  Sau  t, 
and  by  his  energy  and  force  of  character  secured  the  nomination  to 
the  Legislature  from  Chippewa  County  (Marquette  County  being  at 
that  time  attached  to  Chippewa),  and  remained  on  the  ground  and 
secured  his  own  election.  His  election,  however,  was  contested, 
but  he  was  admitted  to  hia  seat.  These  gentlemen  were  considered 
champions  of  the  canal. 


I 


Jl 


The  survey  was  completed  before  the  meeting  of  the  Legislatun*, 
and  Gov.  McClelland  IncortHirated  it  into  his  nussage  to  that  body, 
The  plan  for  the  canal  and  lotks  submitted  was  subslantially  the 
same  as  provided  for  by  the  act  of  C'ongress  appropriating  the  land, 
except  that,  at  the  urgent  request  of  Lake  Supeiior  men,  the  locks 
were  made  300  instead  of  350  feet  in  length.  Hon.  W.  A.  Burt  was 
made  chairman  of  the  legislative  committee  to  which  the  canal 
matters  were  referred.  At  one  time  during  the  session  of  this 
Legislature  it  seemed  as  though  the  whole  canal  project  would  fail, 
not  because  of  a  lack  of  friends,  but  on  account  of  the  grf-at  diver- 
sity of  plans  and  schemes  which  were  brought  forward,  and  which 
were  earnestly  championed  by  their  several  projectors.  However, 
by  the  enetgy  and  general  good  tactics  of  the  gentlemen  named 
above,  an  act  was  passed  and  approved  by  the  Governor  February 
5i  1853,  and  one  supplementary  thereto,  approved  February  i2lh, 
iH<i3,  by  which  the  Governor  was  authorized  to  appoint  commis- 
sioners to  contract  for  the  construction  of  the  canal  unon  the  basis 
of  the  plans  presented.  In  pursuance  of  the  provisions  of  this  act 
the  Governor  ap|M>inted  Chauncey  Joslyn,  Henry  Ledyard,  John  P. 
Barry,  Shubael  Conant  ard  Alfred  Williamson  as  Commissioners, 

Thus  successfully  ended  sixteen  years  of  labor  to  secure  the  con- 
struction of  St,  Mary's  Falls  Ship  Canal.  Nothing  more  was  nec- 
essary but  to  secure  its  construction  for  the  compensation  the  State 
had  to  offer.  The  Commissioners  entered  immediately  upon  the 
discharge  of  their  duties,  and  on  April  5,  1853,  entered  into  a 
contract  with  Joseph  Fairbanks,  J.  W.  Brooks,  Erastus  Corning, 
August  Belmont,  H.  Dwight,  Jr  ,  and  Thomas  Dyer  as  principals, 
and  Franklin  Moore,  Geo.  F.  Porter,  John  Owen,  James  F.  Joy 
and  Henry  P.  Baldwin  as  sureties,  for  the  construction  of  the  canal. 
The  contractors  agreed  to  construct  it  and  defray  all  expenses 
connected  with  the  work,  for  the  land  appropriated  by  Congress, 
750,000  acres.     They  also  agreed  to  complete  the  canal  within  two 


years.  In  making  the  contract  the  ComniliilonerB  made  lome 
very  Important  changea  in  the  plana,  which  Increased  the  capacity 
or  the  locks  very  materially.  The  contract  as  entered  Into  pro- 
vided for  the  conslructiun  of  two  consecutive  locks  350  fe«.t  long, 
70  feet  wide,  and  la  feet  depth  of  water;  this,  however,  was  after- 
wards increased  to  13  feet.  The  canal  was  to  be  100  feet  .in  width. 
The  estimated  cost  was  tfS7,739. 

Under  the  act  of  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York, 
approved  April  13,  1853,  the  St.  Mary's  Falls  Ship  Canal  Company 
was  organised.  The  officers  of  the  company  were  Erastus  Corn- 
ing, president ;  James  W.  Brooks,  vice  president ;  J.  V.  L.  Hryor, 
Joseph  Fairbanks,  John  M.  Forbes,  John  F.  Seymour  and  James 
F.  Joy.  On  the  ajth  of  AuKUst,  1853,  the  original  contract  was 
formally  assigned  to  this  company. 

On  the  4th  of  June,  1853,  ground  was  broken  by  Mr.  Chas.  T.  Har- 
vey, by  the  use  of  a  spade  in  his  own  hands,  and  the  great  work 
was  commenced  which  would  open  up  the  immense  wealth  of  the 
Upper  Peninsula  to  the  commerce  of  the  world.  The  work  was 
prosecuted  with  vigor  under  the  personal  supervision  of  Mr.  Chas, 
T.  Harvey,  who  was  superintendent  of  construction. 

On  the  aiftt  of  May,  1855,  a  certificate  of  the  completion  of  ine 
work  was  signed  by  Kinsley  S.  Bingham,  Governor,  Shubael 
Conant,  Chauncey  Joslin,  Henry  Ledyard  and  Alfred  Williams, 
and  filed  with  the  Commissioner  of  the  State  Land  Office  May  34, 
1855.  A  certificate  to  the  same  effect  was  also  made  and  signed  by 
John  T.  Clark,  engineer.  May  31,  and  filed  on  May  34.  The  lands 
had  been  approved  to  the  State  by  the  General  Government,  and 
on 'the  asth  of  May,  1855,  they  were  patented  by  the  State  to  the 
St.  Mary's  Falls  Ship  Canal  ''ompany.  The  actual  cost  of  the 
canal  was  f9()9,8o3.46. 

The  near  completion  of  the  canal  rendered  some  action  necessary 
by  the  Legislature  of  1855  to  provide  for  its  management.    An  act 


Jl 


was  approved  February  la,  1855,  by  which  (he  Governor  was 
authorised  to  appoint  a  superintendent,  who  rhoutd  have  local 
charge  of  the  canal.  The  same  act  also  provKled  that  the  Governor, 
Auditor  (ieneral  and  State  Treasurer  should  constitute  a  Board  of 
Control  of  the  canal,  and  should  have  general  charge  of  the  cnnal 
and  Its  workings.  On  the  lath  of  February,  1855,  the  same  day 
the  act  was  passed,  the  Governor  vrry  fittingly  appointed  John 
Burt,  Esq  ,  ns  superintendent,  his  term  of  office  commencing  on 
the  1st  of  April  following. 

On  the  19th  of  April,  185J,  wate.'  was  first  let  into  the  canal.  On 
the  i><ih  of  June  following,  Mr.  Burt  had  the  plensure  of  seeing  the 
culmination  of  the  great  work,  to  secure  which  he  had  for  so  many 
years  been  one  of  the  chief  le.iders.  On  tlint  day  he  had  the  honor, 
of  parsing  the  first  beat  through  the  locks, —  llie  stcAnier  Illinois 
Capt.  Jack  Wilson,  commander.  The  great  lakes  were  connected 
and  a  new  era  In  the  commerce  of  Lake  Superior  Inaugurated. 
The  delay  In  passing  boats  from  the  time  of  the  completion  of  the 
canal  until  the  time  above  named,  was  caused  by  the  discovery  of 
a  weakness  In  the  embankment  on  the  north  side  of  tin  canal, 
which  required  some  additional  work.  In  his  repor'  of  November 
30,  1856,  the  Superintendent  recommended  the  strengthening  ui' 
this  embankment  by  the  construction  of  a  wall  upon  the  outside  of 
It  and  widening  it,  extending  the  north  pier  at  the  upper  enJ,  and 
removing  obstructions  at  the  tower  end.  For  the  money  necessary 
to  do  this  he  recommended  that  an  application  be  made  to  Con> 
gi'ess.  In  the  same  report  he  also  recommended  the  free  passage 
of  tugs,  legislation  to  enforce  reports  from  captains  of  vessels  as  to 
r^rgoes,  and  that  reports  of  Superintendent  be  made  to  the 
;rnor,  etc.  Governor  Bingham  In  his  message  called  the  atten- 
.  .  ,  f  the  Legislature  to  this  report,  and  legislation  was  made 
accordingly.  Congress  was  memorialized  for  aid  to  make  the 
needed  improvements,  but  without  avail.     In  consideration  of  this 


no  jurmmnumumm 


51    1 


failure,  by  request  of  Governor  Bing;liam,  the  Superintendent  he 
following  season  made  a  special  report  upon  the  condition  of  the 
canal,  showing  its  urgent  needs.  On  December  12,  1857,  the 
Governor  called  an  extra  session  of  the  Legislature  to  take  this 
matter,  and  some  others  requiring  legislative  action,  into  consider- 
ation. In  his  message  to  the  Legislature  on  January  12,  1858,  he 
laid  the  matter  before  thai  body.  During  the  season  just  passed 
breaks  of  an  alarming  character  had  occurred  in  the  north  bank. 
Acting  upon  this  report  the  Legislature  passed  a  joint  resolution, 
which  the  Governor  approved  February  i,  1858,  requesting  our 
members  of  Congress  to  obtain,  if  possible,  an  appropriation  of 
$50,000  for  this  purpose ;  all,  however,  to  no  effect. 

In  1858,  Mr.  K.  Calkins,  who  was  then  Superintendent,  again 
called  attention  to  the  necessity  of  these  improvements.  All  efforts 
to  secure  aid  from  Congress  having  failed,  the  Legislature  of  1859, 
realizing  the  importance  of  the  work,  passed  an  act,  which  was 
approved  February  14,  1859,  which  authorized  the  Governor  and 
State  to  make  a  loan  of  $100,000  by  issuing'  the  bonds  of  the  canal. 
The  principal  and  interest  were  guaranteed  by  the  State,  but  they 
were  to  be  paid  from  the  canal  fund. 

Under  this  law  the  loan  was  negotiated  and  the  amount,  Jioo,ooo, 
passed,  it  was  supposed  into  the  hands  of  the  Slate  Treasurer,  John 
McKinney,  but  only  one-half  of  it  ever  came  to  light,  and  Mr. 
McKinney  had  to  suffer  incarnation  in  the  State  Prison  in  expiation 
of  somebody's  crime.  He  remained  in  prison  until  near  his  end 
when  he  was  pardoned  out  to  die,  but  he  never  told  what  became 
of  the  money.  However  the  best  that  could  be  done  must  be  with 
the  $50,000  reniai.iing.  On  the  7th  of  June,  1859,  the  Board  of  Con- 
trol entered  into  contract  with  Silas  M.  Holmes  of  Detroit,  and 
Nelson  W.  Clark  of  Oakland  County,  to  make  the  necessary 
repairs,  plans  and  specifications  for  which  had  been  made  and 
were  attached  to  the  contract.    This  contract  was  filed  with  the 


a 


il 


Secretary  of  State  July  6,  1859.  The  work  ^f  strengthening  the 
canal  bank  was  entered  upon  and  completed  that  year,  while  the 
rest  of  the  work  contracted  for  was  completed  the  following  year. 

From  that  time  until  the  present  the  history  of  the  canal  has  only 
been  similar  to  any  other  well  regulated  institution.  The  benefits 
which  have  accrued  to  the  State  through  its  influence  are  beyond 
calculation.  The  business  has  increased  year  by  year,  until  now 
the  amount  of  traffic  which  annually  passes  through  it  is  immense. 
The  expenses  of  operation  and  repairs  have  been  maintained  ftt  a 
cost  not  beyond  the  revenue  of  the  canal  arising  from  tolls.  The 
interest  on  the  bonds  has  been  paid,  and  the  bonds  paid  and  pro- 
vided for.  Still  the  great  increase  in  business  has  permitted  the 
reduction  of  tolls  from  6\4  cents  per  registered  ton  to  3  cents,  the 
law  providing  that  the  tolls  should  only  create  a  sufficient  revenue 
for  these  purposes. 

During  the  year  1876,  some  irregularities  were  discovered  in  the 
accounts  at  the  canal  office,  and  soon  afterwards  the  clerk,  Mr.  S. 
B,  W.  Coval,  left  suddenly,  and  it  is  charged  that  he  took  upwards 
of  $1,000  canal  money  with  him.  He  was  afterwards  arrested, 
tried  during  the  summer  of  1878,  befor<!  the  Circuit  Court  of  Chip- 
pewa County  and  acquitted.  This  IfcU  to  an  investigation  of  the 
canal  affairs  by  the  Legislature  of  1877,  and  at  the  suggestion  of 
Governor  Croswell,  a  revision  of  the  laws  governing  the  canal. 
The  local  management,  which  had  up  to  this  time  rested  entirely 
with  a  Superintendent,  was  by  this  revision  vested  in  a  Superin- 
tendent and  a  Collector  of  Tolls,  the  canal  proper  being  left  under 
the  supervision  of  the  Superintendent,  while  the  entire  financial 
affairs  of  the  canal  were  placed  under  the  charge  of  the  Collector. 
Governor  Croswell  appointed  William  Chandler  of  Cheboygan,  to 
the  newly  created  office,  the  appointment  dating  May  ai,  1877. 
Mr.  Chandler  assumed  the  duties  of  the  position  May  27. 

Although  the  canal  as  constructed  was  nearly  four  times  as  large 


sassz 


V.jH.'Lti^liaM'lwwi^ow  4.  . 


as  was  contemplated  by  its  first  projectors  in  1837,  so  rapidly  under 
its  influence  did  the  Northern  Peninsula,  and  the  great  north  and 
west  tributary  to  Lake  Superior  and  this  great  channel  of  com- 
merce, develop  and  expand,  that  hardly  had  a  dozen  years  elapsed 
before  it  became  apparent  that  some  action  must  soon  be  taken 
looking  to  an  increase  in  the  capacity  of  the  canal  and  locks.  Not 
only  had  the  commerce  passing  the  canal  increased  at  an  astonish- 
ing rapidity,  but  the  size  of  the  vessels  had  also  correspondingly 
increased.  Vessels  could  not  pass  the  locks  carrying  anywhere 
near  their  capacity.  The  mming  interests  of  the  Northern  Penin- 
sula, which  had  been  given  a  stimulus  by  the  completion  of  the 
canal,  had  grown  to  such  vast  proportions,  that  they  had  absorbed 
money  and  business  ability  from  almost  every  section  of  the 
country.  Therefore  nearly  all  parts  of  the  country  had  almost  a 
personal  interest  in  this  great  work.  Superintendent  George  VV. 
Brown,  in  his  report  for  1864,  spoke  of  the  necessity  of  enlarging 
the  capacity  of  the  locks,  and  recommended  that  another  set  of 
locks  be  constructed,  giving  as  reasons  that  it  would  cost  very  little 
more  and  would  be  much  better.  In  1867,  Mr.  Guy  H.  Carleton, 
then  Superintendent  of  the  canal,  called  attention  to  necessit>  of 
deepening  and  enlarging  the  canal  and  locks,  giving  the  reH-ons 
therefor.  Again,  in  his  report  for  1868  the  subject  was  mentioned, 
and  the  suggestion  made  that  the  General  Government  be  applieci 
to  for  the  means  necessary.  The  time  for  definite  action  seemed  to 
have  arrived  during  the  winter  of  1868-9.  ^b  when  the  canal  project 
was  first  inaugurated,  Hon.  John  Burt  was  found  among  the  leaders  of 
this  enterprise.  He  publicly  advocated  the  deepening  of  the  locks 
during  the  wintf  months,  that  navigation  might  not  be  obstructed. 
He  perfected  plans  for  the  work  and  submitted  them  to  Governor 
Crapo,  the  retiring,  and  Governor  Baldwin,  the  incoming,  governor. 
This  resulted  in  the  attention  of  the  Legislature  being  called  to  the 
necessity  of  the  work,  and  the  passage  by  that  body,  February  16, 


n 


1869,  of  a  joint  resolution  urging  the  importance  of  the  work  upon 
Congress.  Mr.  Burt  personally  laid  the  matter  before  the  members 
of  Congress.  He  soon  ascertained  the  prevalent  opinion  among 
them  was  that  nothing  could  be  done,  in  consequence  of  the  canal 
being  under  State  control.  Mr.  Burt  then  returned  to  Detroit  and 
laid  the  situation  of  affairs  before  the  Board  of  Trade  of  that  city. 
As  a  means  of  securing  the  sought  for  end,  that  body  took  action  in 
favor  of  the  transfer  of  the  canal  to  the  United  States.  This  was 
followed  by  petitions  and  memorials  from  the  principal  lake  cities, 
requesting  for  like  reasons  the  proposed  transfer.  Acting  upon  the 
showing  thus  presented,  the  Legislature  passed  a  joint  resolution, 
March  27,  1869,  authorizing  a  transfer  of  the  canal  to  the  United 
States.  The  work  of  placing  this  enterprise  before  Congress  was 
not  permitted  to  flag.  All  tne  States  interested  sent  memorials  to 
Congress  in  behalf  of  the  project.  The  business  and  resources  of  the 
great  Lake  Superior  district  were  placed  before  Congress  in  a 
statistical  form.  This  was  prepared  chiefly  by  Mr.  H.  A.  Burt, 
of  Marquette,  and  had  a  large  influence  in  shaping  future  legisla- 
tion. The  initiative  in  Congress  of  this  movement  was  made  by 
Hon.  O.  D.  Conger,  March  14,  1870,  by  the  introduction  of  a  reso- 
lution requesting  the  Secretary  of  War  to  have  General  Cram,  then 
in  charge  of  the  river  and  harbor  improvements  of  the  great  lakes, 
make  a  report  on  the  importance  of  this  work,  u|>on  a  basis  of  14 
feet  draft  of  water ;  the  expense  to  be  defrayed  from  appropriations 
already  made  for  surveys  of  rivers  and  harbors.  This  resolution  was 
passed  Apiil  4.  Before  General  Cram  had  time  to  comply  with  the 
law  he  was  superseded  b;-  General  O.  M.  Poe,  upon  whom  the 
work  devolved.  However,  beibre  this  report  was  made,  the  enter- 
ing wedge  was  secured  by  an  act  of  Congress,  approved  July  11, 

1870,  appropriating  $150,000  for  the  improvement  of  St.  Mary's 
Falls  Ship  Canhl,  and  this  without  accepting  the  proposition  of 
the    State  to  trai:sfer  the   canal    to   the    General    Government. 


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I- 


September    20,     1870,     General      Foe      ".laving     completed      liis 
examination,      mad(!    a    report     to    the     Secretary     of     War, 
in    which    he    not    only    sustained    all    the    claims     which    had 
been  made   regarding  the  importance  of  the  proposed   improve- 
ment, but  went  even  further,  and  claimed   that   the  demands  of 
commerce  would  warrant  the  construction  of  a  new  lock  or  set  of 
locks,  as  might  be  decided  upon.     He  also  stated  that  $140,000  out 
of  $150,000  appropriated,  could  be  immediately  expended.    Gen- 
eral Poe  proceeded  at  once  to  prepare  plans  for  two  locks.     After 
much  consultation  the  plans  were  finally   changed,  and  one  for  a 
single  lock  substituted.     It  is  stated  that  Mr.   Burt  was  first   to   . 
advocate  the  single  lift,  and  that  it  v,ras  largely  through  his  influence 
that  the  present  plan  was  adopted.    From  the  preliminary  survey 
to  the  completion,  the  local  charge  of  the  work  was  in  the  hands  of 
Mr.  Alfred  Noble,  assistant  engineer,  to  whom  much  credit  is  due 
for  the  admirable  manner  in  which  the  work  was  done.    The  gen- 
eral plans  of  the  work  were  completed  during  the  administration  of 
General  Poe.     General  Weitzel  succeeded  General  Poe  May  1,  1873. 
General  Weitzel  was  then  at  the  head  of  the  work,  and  took  a  deep 
andpermanant  interest  in  the  enterprise,  andfr.  11  the  first,  showed 
his  determination  to  make  this  the  greatest  and    most  complete 
engineering  enterprise  of  the  age.     These  efforts  were  ably  sec- 
onded by  Mr.  Noble. 

The  first  contract  upon  ^^jpiprovement  was  let  October  aoth. 
1870,  to  Messrs.  Barker,  Williams  &  Bangs,  and  work  first  com- 
menced soon  after  that  date.  Eight  subsequent  contracts  were  let 
for  different  portions  of  the  work,  to  the  following  contractors : 
Barker  &  Williams,  Boyle  &  Roach,  C.  C.  Barker  &  Son,  Henry 
Van  Vleck  and  C.  S.  Barker.  The  first  stone  in  the  walls  of  the 
new  locks  was  laid  July  25,  1876,  with  appropriate  ceremonies, 
consisting  of  an  address  b;-  General  Weitzel,  oration  by  H.  P. 
Davock,  and  remarks  by  Hon.  Geo.  W.  Brown  and  Hon.  H.  W. 


Seymour.     The  president  of  the  dsy  was  Peter  B.  Barbeau,  with 
numerous  vice-presidents. 

The  United  States  Government  began  its  improvement  of  the 
canal  in  1870.  In  consequence  of  legislation  by  Congress  in  the 
river  and  harbor  act  of  June  14,  1880,  and  the  act  passed  by  the 
Legislature  of  Michigan,  approved  March  3,  1881,  the  canal  was 
actually  transferred  to  the  United  States  Government  on  June  9, 
1881.  The  lock  of  1870  was  completed  and  opened  to  navigation 
September  i,  188 1.  The  first  boat  locked  through  was  the  Steamer 
City  of  Cleveland  (now  the  City  of  Alpena),  of  the  Detroit  &  Cleve 
land  Steam  Navigation  Company's  line. 

The  total  amount  appropr'ated  for  the  work,  up  to  the  time  of 
completion  of  the  lock  now  in  operation,  at  different  times,  was 
$2,405,000.  The  total  cost  of  the  canal  improvement  and  lock  was 
$2,150,000,  the  balance  of  the  appropriation  being  used  in  the  St. 
Mary's  river. 

Th .-  length  of  the  canal  is  7,000  feet.  Its  wi^th  is  variable.  The 
least  width  is  108  feet,  at  the  point  opposite  the  movable  dam. 
Depth  of  water,  when  Lake  Superior  is  at  its  average  height,  16 
feet. 

The  chamber  of  the  present  lock  is  515  feet  long,  80  feet  wide 
narrowed  to  60  feet  at  the  gates;  the  depth  is  39K  feet.  Its 
capacity  is  1,500,000  cubic  feet.  The  lift  of  the  lock  is  «8  feet,  the 
depth  of  water  on  the  miter-sills,  when  the  water  of  the  great  lakes 
is  at  its  average  depth,  is  17  feel.  A  guard-gate  is  placed  at  each 
end  of  the  chamber,  making  the  length  of  the  walls  717  feet. 

The  walls  for  14  feet  from  each  end  are  13  feet  wide  from  top  to 
botiom  ;  then  for  121}^  feet  ai  the  west  end  and  133^^  feet  at  the 
east  end  they  are  25  feet  wide  from  top  to  bottom.  Between  the 
wide  walls  the  width  is  i8  feet  for  10  feet  up  from  the  foundation, 
then  it  narrows  in  2  feet  tor  4  offsets  5  feet  apart,  vertically,  until 


r 


n 


t 


ivith 

the 
the 
the 
was 
le  9, 
aion 
mer 
eve- 

le  of 
was 
was 

B  St. 


« 


• 


The 

1 
i 

dam. 

It,  i6 

wide 

Its 

,  the 

akes 
each 

>p  to 

4' 

t  the 

1   the 

It  ion, 

until 

r,'  . 

■    -'^  /     '  "      i 

it 


Statement  of  the  Commerce  Throug 

8' 

1. 

II 

TONN'AGE. 

a 
< 

|l 

i 

ll 

'Si 

1 

e 

H3 
a. 

^^ 

Registered. 

Actual 
FreiKht. 

18BS 

a. 

a 

b 

a 

c 

106,206 

c 

1866 

a 

a 

b 

a 

c 

101 ,4.-58 

c 

1857 

a 

,     a 

b 

a 

c 

18U,8'.'il 

c 

, 

ISW 

a 

a 

b 

a 

c 

2I9.8I0 

c 

1859 

a 

'a 

b 

a 

c 

352,(>42 

c 

1860 

.  a 

a 

b 

.    a 

c 

4113.657 

c 

1861 

a 

a 

b 

a 

c 

276,639 

c 

1862 

a 

a 

b 

a 

c 

3.">9,612 

c 

1863 

a 

a 

b 

a 

,- 

607,434 

c 

1864 

t,0<5 

366 

b 

1,411 

c 

571.438 

c 

1865 

602 

S05 

b 

997 

c 

409,(l6i 

c 

1866 

555 

453 

b 

1,008 

c 

458,630 

c 

1867 

S39 

466 

b 

1,3U6 

c 

5,56,899 

c 

1868 

817 

338 

b 

1,165 

c 

432.563 

c 

1869 

939 

399 

b 

1,338 

c 

524,885 

c 

1870 

1,397 

431 

b 

1,828 

c 

690,826 

c 

1871 

1,064 

673 

b 

1,637 

c 

75  J.  101 

c 

1872 

1,«12 

792 

b 

2,004 

c 

914.735 

c 

1873 

1,649 

96S 

b 

2,517 

c 

1.204,44<l 

c 

1874 

833 

901 

L 

1,734 

c 

1,070,.857 

c 

1875 

669 

1,464 

b 

2,033 

c 

1,258,8:11 

c 

1876 

6»4 

1,733 

b 

2,417 

c 

1,641,676 

c 

1877 

1,401 

1,060 

b 

2,4t>l 

c 

1  439,216 

c 

•     1878 

1,0&1 

1,476 

,     b 

2,667 

c 

1,667,136 

c 

1879 

1,403 

1,618 

*    100 

3,121 

c 

1,677.071 

c 

.      1880 

1,718 

1,735 

50 

3.iJ03 

c 

1,734.890 

c 

.       1881 

1,706 

2.117 

181 

4.004 

2.120 

2,092.757 

1.667,741 

1S82 

1,663 

2,739 

iW2 

4,774 

2,572 

2,468,088 

2,029,621 

X 

1S83 

1,458 

2.620 

237 

4,315 

2.361 

2,,.  12,269 

2,267,105 

18»4 

1,700 

3,600 

371 

6,089 

3,074 

2,997,837 

2,874,557 

'1886 

1,689 

3,3.54 

337 

6,380 

2863 

3,036,937 

3.256.628 

.    1886 

2,634 

4.584 

306 

7,424 

3,693 

4,219.397 

4,527,750 

1887 

2,662 

6,068 

825 

C.355 

4,165 

4,897,5'I8 

.3,499,640 

1888 

2,009 

6..106 

489 

7,803 

3,845 

5,1:10,659 

6,411,423 

1889 

A635 

6,601 

443 

9.579 

4,t!84 

7,221,935 

7,516,022 

1890 

2,874 

7.J68 

417 

10,6.W 

4,970 

8,454,435 

9,041,213 

1891 

2,406 

7.339 

447 

10.191 

4,981 

8.400,685 

8,888,759 

^ 

1892 

3,.<t24 

8,737 

619 

12,580 

5,867 

10,647,203 

11,2)4,333 

. 

a    No  record  kept  until  1864.                             c     ^o  record  kept  unt 

b    No  record  kept  until  1870.                             d    None  shipped  from 

1 '■  ■ 

leiierat      Poe      having     completed      liis 
1  report      to    the      Secretary      of     War, 
Jsiistained    all    the    claims     which     had 
le   iiuiiorlance  of  the  proposed   iniprove- 
|li(.-r,  niul  claimed   that   the   demands  of 
the  constructicm  of  a  new  lock  or  set  of 
upon.     He  also  stated  that  $140,000  out 
I  could  be  immediately  expended.     Cien- 
to  prepare  plans  for  two  locks.     After 
IIS  were  finally   changed,  and  one  for  a 
It  Is  stated  that  Mr.    Burt   was  first    to 
hd  that  it  was  largely  through  his  influence 
[adopted.    From  the  preliminary  survey 
fl  charge  of  the  work  was  in  the  hands  of 
\\l  engineer,  to  whom  much  credit  is  due 
I  in  which  the  work  was  done.     The  gen- 
Ire  completed  during  the  administration  of 
leitzel  succeeded  General  Poe  May  i,  1873. 
1  at  the  head  of  the  work,  and  took  a  deep 
the  enterprise,  and  from  the  first,  showed 
^e  this  the   greatest  and    most  complete 
|f  the  age.     These  elTorts  were  ably  see- 
the improvement  was  let  October  aothi 
IVilliams  &   Hangs,   and   work  first  com- 
\le.     Eight  subsequent  contracts  were  let 
the  work,   to  the  following  contractors : 
le  &  Roach,  C.  C.  Barker  &  Son,  Henry 
per.     The  first  stone  in  the  walls  of  the 
25,   US76,  with  appropriate  ceremon'as, 
by    General  Weitzel,   oration  by  H.  P. 
[lion.  Geo.   W.   Brown  and   Hon.  H.  W. 


l\ 


Seymour.     The  president  of  the  day  was  Peter  B.  Barbeau,  with 
numerous  vice-presidents. 

The  United  States  Government  began  its  improvement  of  the 
canal  in  1870.  In  consequence  of  legislation  by  Congress  in  the 
river  and  harbor  act  of  June  14,  1880,  and  the  act  passed  by  the 
Legislature  of  Michigan,  approved  March  3,  1881,  the  canal  was 
actually  transferred  to  the  United  States  Government  on  June  9, 
1881.  The  lock  of  1870  was  completed  and  opened  to  navigation 
September  i,  1881,  The  first  boat  locked  through  was  the  Steamer 
City  of  Cleveland  (now  the  City  of  Alpena),  of  the  Detroit  &  Cleve- 
land Steam  Navigation  Company's  line. 

The  total  amoun;  appropriated  for  the  work,  up  to  the  time  of 
completion  of  the  lock  now  in  operation,  at  different  times,  was 
$2,405,000.  The  total  cost  of  the  canal  improvement  and  lock  was 
$2,150,000,  the  balance  of  the  appropriation  being  used  in  the  St. 
Mary's  river. 

The  length  of  the  canal  is  7,000  feet.  Its  width  is  variable.  The 
lei.st  width  is  108  feet,  at  the  point  opposite  the  movable  dam. 
Depth  of  water,  when  Lake  Superior  is  at  its  average  height,  16 
feet. 

The  chamber  of  the  |>resent  lock  is  515  feet  long,  80  feet  wide 
narrowed  to  60  feet  at  the  gates ;  the  depth  is  39^  feet.  Its 
capacity  is  1,500,000  cubic  feet.  The  lif^  of  the  lock  is  18  feet,  the 
depth  of  water  on  the  miter-sills,  when  the  water  of  the  great  lakes 
is  at  its  average  depth,  is  17  feet.  A  guard-gate  is  placed  at  each 
end  of  the  chamber,  making  the  length  of  the  v;alls  717  feet. 

The  walls  for  14  feet  from  each  end  are  13  feet  wide  from  top  to 
bottom  ;  then  for  121K  feet  at  the  west  end  and  133K  feet  at  the 
east  end  they  are  25  feet  wide  from  top  to  bottom.  Between  the 
wide  walls  the  width  is  18  feet  for  10  feet  up  from  the  foundation, 
then  it  narrows  in  2  feet  for  4  offsets  5  feet  apart,  vertically,  until 


# 


(If 


5tatfment  of  tlte  Co 


a    No  record  kept  until  1864. 
b    No  record  kept  until  1879. 


8' 

1 

< 

.5* 

1 

u 

2 

11 

ll 

<^ 

"-i 

".3 

ISfifi 

a 

a 

b 

a 

c 

1H66 

a 

a 

b 

a 

c 

1857 

a 

,  » 

b 

a 

c 

18.-'>8 

a 

a 

b 

a 

c 

IS.W 

a 

'a 

b 

a 

c 

1860 

.  a 

a 

b 

-  a 

c 

1861 

a 

a 

b 

a 

c 

1862 

a 

H 

b 

a 

c 

1863 

a 

a 

b 

a 

c 

1864 

1,045 

366 

b 

1,411 

c 

1865 

002 

395 

b 

937 

c 

1866 

B.'B 

453 

b 

1,008 

c 

1867 

S39 

466 

b 

l,3Ufl 

c 

1868 

817 

338 

b 

1,155 

180B 

939 

309 

b 

1,338 

c 

1870 

1.397 

431 

b 

1,828 

c  - 

1871 

1,064 

573 

b 

1,637 

c 

1872 

1,«12 

■"a 

b 

2,004 

c 

1873 

1,549 

»..  ■ 

b 

2,517 

c 

1874 

833 

001 

b 

1,734 

c 

1875 

569 

1,464 

b 

2,033 

c 

1876 

O.'M 

1,733 

b 

2.417 

c 

1877 

1,401 

1,080 

b 

2,461 

i 

1878 

i,o(a 

1,476 

.   b 

2.667 

c 

1879 

1,403 

1,618 

100 

3.121 

c 

1880 

1,718 

1,735 

60 

3,603 

c 

188! 

1,706 

2. 1 17 

181 

4,0M 

2,120 

1882 

1,663 

2,7:j9 

.'»72 

4.774 

2,572 

1S83 

1,458 

2,620 

237 

4,315 

2,361 

1884 

1,709 

3,009 

371 

6,689 

3,074 

'1885 

1,689 

3,3« 

337 

6,380 

2«i3 

1886 

.  2,63* 

4.584 

306 

7,424 

3,693 

1887 

2,602 

6,968 

825 

9.355 

4,ia5 

18^8 

2.009 

6.305 

489 

7,803 

3,846 

188'J 

2,635 

6,601 

443 

9.579 

4,084 

1890 

2,874 

7,268 

417 

10,5,'>7 

4,970 

-1891 

2,406 

7,339 

447 

10,191 

4,981 

1892 

3,.S24 

8,737 

619 

12,680 

6,867 

mm 


5tattment  of  tUe  Commerce  Through  Saint  Mary's  Falls  Canal  for  each  Calendar  Year  from  Its  Opening  in  1855  to  and  including  189a. 


— J 

it 

•8 

k 

B 

3 

8 

11 

TONKAGE. 

i 

a 

Coal. 

Flour. 

Wheat. 

1^ 

0.S 

1* 

1 

It 

Salt. 

Copper. 

Iron  Ore. 

i 

5| 

be 

Is 

•0 

Date  of 

Opciiiiif;. 

Dale  of 

S 

C'liisiiiy:. 

£ 

X 

'1 

^^ 

HegHtred. 

Actual 
FreiKht. 

On 

Barrels. 

II 

js 

Tons. 

B 

II 

Tons. 

BusMs. 

Bus/irls, 

Tons. 

Barrels. 

Tons. 

Feet. 

Tons. 

Torts. 

Tons. 

a 

b 

a 

c 

106,290 

c 

4,270 

1,414 

10,289 

e 

1,040 

687 

3. 196 

1,417 

126,000 

d 

c 

t 

June  13 

Nov.    •_'3 

a 

b 

a 

c 

I01,4.'i8 

c 

4.074 

3,968 

17,686 

e 

'sa'.im" 

781 

464 

6.727 

11,507 

395,000 

il 

e 

t 

.May    4 

No,-.    '.W 

a 

b 

a 

c 

180,82>» 

c 

6,660 

6,278 

16.560 

e 

22.300 

l„t25 

1,5U0 

6.760 

20,184 

572  IMM) 

d 

e 

I 

Miiv    9 

Nov.  ;«) 

a 

b 

a 

c 

219.819 

c 

9,230 

4,118 

13,782 

e 

10.500 

2,697 

9.50 

0,744 

si.aus 

186,000 

d 

e 

I 

Apr.  18 

Nov.    20 

'a 

b 

a 

c 

:U>2,U42 

c 

8,884 

39,459 
60,260 

e 

71,738 

6,504 

2,737 

7.247 

05,709 

d 

e 

t 

May    3 
Miiy  11 
May    3 

Nov.    2S 

b 

a 

4l)3,(i57 

Q 

1.13,437 
76.830 

0,000 

120,000 

<i 

e 

t 

.N'ov.    20 

a 

b 

a 

c 

270i639 

c 

8.'si'6" 

U,'607  " 

22.743 

e 

.   ■•-■•—• 

3,014 

7.(W5 

44,8:16 

8M,'00o" 

(1 

e 

t 

Nov.    14 

H 

b 

a 

c 

3.->«,6l2 

c 

8,468 

11,346 

17,291 

e 

60.062 

0,433 

2.477 

0,881 

113,014 

190,000 

d 

e 

£ 

Apr,  27 

Nov.    27 

a 

b 

a 

c 

607,434 

c 

18.281 

7.805 

31,975 

e 

78,480 

0.681 

1,500 

1,044 

181,567 

1,411,0110 

'! 

c 

{ 

Apr.  28 

Nov.    24 

306 

b 

1,411 

c 

571.438 

c 

10.986 

11,282 

;i3,937 

e 

143.500 

7.043 

1.776 

5,331 

213.763 

2,001,000 

d 

e 

f 

Miiy    2 

Dec.       i 

305 

b 

937 

c 

409,002 

c 

19.777 

31,!»85 
33,003 

e 

7,346 

3,175 

9.9:<0 

147  4.59 

822.000 

d 

e 

{ 

Mny    1 
May    5 

Dec.       3 

453 

b 

1,008 

c 

458.B30 

c 

14.007 

19,916 

e 

"  'iio.'iiae' 

13,235 

4,451 

9,660 

152,102 

144,000 

d 

e 

f 

Dec.      3 

40(1 

b 

1,3U5 

c 

650,899 

c 

16.120 

22.9'.>7 

28.346 

e 

249,031 

20.H02 

6,316 

10,583 

222,861 

390,000 

d 

c 

f 

May    4 

Dec.      :i 

338 

b 

1,165 

^ 

432.503 

c 

I0.5!K) 

2,5.814 

27  372 

e 

285,12;i 

22,785 

4,624 

12,222 

i9>,9:<g 

1,1  9,0  0 

d 

e 

t 

May    2 

Dec.       3 

3a9 

b 

1,338 

c 

624,886 

c 

17,057 

27,85  > 

32,007 

e 

.323.501 

23,861 

6,910 

18,002 

239.308 

1,260.000 

d 

e 

t 

M.iy    4 

Nov.    29 

431 

b 

1,828 

c  ■ 

600,820 

c 

17,153 

15,952 

33.548 

49,700 

304,077 

42.959 

U,0<0 

11.301 

409.860 

722,000 

92 

2.917 

I 

Apr.  29 

Dec.       1 

573 

b 

1.037 

c 

752.101 

c 

16,860 

40,798 

26.060 

1,370  T06 

308,823 

5t.0St 

30,199 

11.602 

327.461 

1,072,000 

HA 

5.228 

I 

May    8 

Nov.    29 

"02 

b 

2,0(H 

c 

9I4.7;« 

c 

26,830 

80,816 

136,411 

667.134 

446,774 

86,194 

42,090 

14.591 

383.105 

1,742,000 

:too 

5,213 

t 

.May  11 

Nov.    ■Ji\ 

In. 

b 

2,517 

c 

1.204,440 

c 

3l),9«i6 

96,780 

1-2.092 

2.119.997 

309.616 

44.920 

29.  .3:16 

15.927 

501.121 

1,102,000 

.580 

2.218 

May    5 

Nov.    IS 

001 

b 

1,734 

c 

1.070..857 

c 

22,958 

61,123 

179.855 

1.120,015 

149.999 

31.741 

42.231 

15,316 

427.058 

638.000 

413 

■fOI 

i 

May  12 

Dec.      2 

1,464 

b 

2,033 

c 

1,250,8<» 

c 

19,685 

101,200 

309,991 

1,2  3,788 

250,080 

64.;«i 

43,089 

18.390 

493.408 

6,391,000 

847 

2.978 

i 

May  12 

Dec,      2 

1,733 

b 

2,417 

c 

1,541,076 

c 

30,286 

124,734 

315.224 

1,971.540 

407,772 

01.091 

46,666 

25,766 

609,752 

17,701,000 

986 

2.102 

f 

Muv    8 

Nov.   2(i 

l,0»t 

b 

2,451 

I 

1  439,216 

c 

21.800 

01.675 

356,117 

1,349,738 

343„'>t2 

39.071 

03,188 

ie,-707 

668,082 

4,143.000 

987 

2.,'i06 

t 

Mai-    2 

Nov.   :)l) 

1.476 

.      b 

2,607 

c 

1,607,1.36 

c 

2J,304 

91,850 

244,599 

1, 872,910 

264,674 

14,882 

63.520 

22.529 

665,7.50 

24,119.0(10 

6.i0 

2,751 

i 

Apr.    8 

Dec.      :i 

1,618 

•    100 

3,121 

c 

1,677.071 

c 

18.979 

1 10,704 

451,000 

2.0.13.066 

951,496 

39.218 

92  245 

22,309 

510,076 

35.608.000 

324 

2.220 

I 

Mav    2 

Dec.      3 

1,736 

50 

3,603 

c 

1,734.890 

r 

25,760 

170,5(11 

62.'(.860 

2,10.5.920 

2,547.106 

46,791 

77  916 

21,7.53 

677  073 

44.630.000 

66 

2.2S3 

f 

Apr.  28 

Nov.    1.5 

2.117 

2,7;to 

181 

4,004 
4,77* 

2  120 

2,092.757 
2,408,088 

1,867.741 
2,029,621 

24.671 
29,236 

295,647 
4  0,184 

605,463 
344,044 

3,466.906 
3,728,8,56 

307,838 
47.<.129 

87.8!10 

65.897 

29,488 
25,400 

748.131 

68,877.000 

1,400 

129,031 

May    7 
Apr.  21 

Dec.      5 

Jff2 

2,572 

92.870 

176,012 

987,060 

82.783.000 

22" 

5,428 

172.1(17 

Dec.      3 

2.820 

237 

4,315 

2.361 

2,012,259 

2,207,106 

39  130 

714444 

687,031 

6,900.473 

776.562 

109.910 

70.898 

31,024 

791.732 

87,131,000 

814 

2,405 

191,571 

May    2 

Dec      11 

3.(SI)» 

371 

6,089 

3,074 

2,997,837 

2,874,557 

54,214 

7fl6.370 

1,248.243 

11,985,791 

517.103 

72,428 

144,801 

30,002 

1,130  07: 

122.380,000 

0,-31 

6.(H7 

207,173 

Apr  23 

Dec.     10 

3,av. 

337 

6,380 

2.803 

3,035,937 

3,266,028 

36,147 

894.991 

1,440.093 

15.274.213 

4'.'2.<,)8t 

60.842 

130,355 

31,927 

1, •-'35. 122 

127,984,000 

3,0«9 

8,189 

181,903 

May    0 

Dec.      2 

4.584 

300 

7,424 

3.693 

4,219.397 

4,5V7.76& 

27,088 

1,009,990 

1,759,305 

18.991.485 

716,373 

115.208 

158.077 

38,627 

2,087,809 

138,6'<8,000 

2,m»9 

9.449 

230,720 

Apr,  26 

Dec.      4 

5,!KW 

825 

9.355 

4.ta5 

4,897,6'I8 

6,409.019 

32,608 

l,35i,987 

1,572,735 

2:<.096..520 

775,166 

71,919 

2<H.908 

34.886 

3,41.7,713 

165,220,000 

350 

13.401 

;(44,5C0 

Mav    1 

Dec.       2 

5,305 

489 

7,803 

,3.845 

5,130,059 

6,411,423 

2.5,558 

2,106,041 

V,  190,725 

18,596,.351 

2,022,3  8 

03.703 

210.431 

)i8,900 

2,570,517 

240,?72,1«0 

3,:t«.'> 

33.541 

.315.851 

May    7 

Dec.      4 

0,6«1 

443 

9.579 

4,684 

7,221.935 

7,510,022 

25,712 

1,629,197 

2.228.707 

10,231,864 

2,133,2« 

57..'i61 

168.2^50 

33,456 

4,096,865 

316,654,000 

5,947 

33.538 

312,410 

Apr,  16 

Dec.      4 

7,-'68 

417 

10,657 

4,970 

8,451,435 

9,041,213 

24,856 

2,176.926 

3.239,104 

16.217.370 

2,044,381 

116,327 

179,431 

43.729 

4.774.768 

361,929.000 

3,432 

47.973 

371,294 

Apr.  20 

Dec.      3 

7.330 

447 

10.191 

4,981 

8.400,085 

8,888,750 

20,190 

2,607,532 

3,789.143 

38,810.670 

1,032,104 

<!9.741 

234.628 

09,190 

3,600,213 

a66„305,000 

1.731 

44,080 

417,093 

Apr.  27 

Dec.      7 

8,737 

519 

12,580 

5,867 

10.047,203 

11,214,333 

26,896 

2,904  260 

6,418,136 

40.994,780 

1.660.090 

101,620 

275,740 

61,993 

4,901,132 

512,841,000 

1,0:!0 

39,698 

4,59,140 

Apr.  18 

Dec.      6 

>rd  kept  until  1864. 
rd  kept  until  1870. 


c     No  record  kept  until  June,  1881. 

d   None  sihipped  from  \Aike  Superior  until  1867. 


None  shipped  from  Lake  Superior  until  1879. 
No  record  kept  until  1881. 


'■i*".iTL..    ••'.'!f"r^' 


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-  .'i! UJJIH 


the  wall  is  lo  feet  wide,  at  which  width  it  is  carried  up  to  within  6 
inches  of  the  top  of  the  coping.     The  coping  is  five  feet  wide. 

m'^k!  r"'!.'  T.  **'  "'"*"»°"«-  The  cut  stone  was  obtained  from 
^  Marblehead  Ohio,  and  Kelly's  Island;  the  backing  from  Drum- 
-  mond  s  Island,  Sainte  Mary's  river.  The  facing  stones  are  laid  in 
,     regular  courses  with  a  bond  of  I'A   feet.    There  are  ao  courses, 

^ach  3  feet  thick,  excepting  the  coping,  which  is  I'A  feet  thick. 
XThere  are  about  34.207  cubic  yards  of  masonry,  in  the  constmc- 


every 


tion  of  which  about  35,000  barrels  of  cement  were  used, 
barrel  being  tested. 

The  water  is  let  into  the  locks  from  culverts  under  the  floor 
These  culverts  extend  from  the  upper  to  the  lower  end  of  the  lock 
The  time  consumed  in  filling  or  emptying  the  lock  is  about  seven 
minutes. 

The  an..exed  tabular  statement  shows  the  business  of  the  canal 
each  year  since  its  opening  in  1855  to  and  including  the  traffic  of 
iSqa,  with  the  date  of  the  opening  and  closing  of  navigation : 


! 

If. 

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linn  immttmummmmam 


■■■'•tJBateassiejKs^tt; 


THE    LOCK    OF    1887. 


■ 

1 


HAY   LAKE   CHANNEL. 


fHK  project  of  obtaining  n  navigable  cliaiinet  of  i6  feet  depth 
between  Lalces  Superior  and  Huron  liad  barely  been  com- 
pleted when  the  demands  of  commerce  bo  enormously 
increased  that  the  work  of  obtaining  a  depth  of  ao  feet  throudh- 
out  was  undertaken,  and  work  began  upon  the  construction  of  the 
cofTer-dam,  which  incloses  the  site  of  the  new  lock,  May  4,  1H8;. 
The  conrer-dam  is  1,500  feet  long  and  300  feet  wide,  and  the  esti- 
mated cost  was  |i95.393. 

This  lock  is  being  constructed  upon  the  site  of  the  old  state  locks, 
to  have  a  length  of  800  feet  between  gates,  a  width  of  100  feet 
throughout,  a  depth  of  21  feel  on  the  miter  sills,  and  a  single  lift, 
approximating  18  feet.  The  canal  is  now  being  deepened  to  cor- 
respond. The  estimated  cost  of  this  enlargement  of  the  canal  sys- 
tem is  14,738,865, 

March  i,  1889,  Collins  &  Farwell  of  Detroit,  were  awarded  the 
contract  for  excavating  the  lock  pit  and  I  ogan  their  work  in  April, 
1889. 

February  9.  1891,  Hughes  Bros.  &  Bangs  of  Syracuse,  N.  Y., 
were  awarded  the  contract  for  the  masonry  construction  and  began 
work  in  May,  1891. 

The  first  stone  was  laid  without  ceremony  September  2,  1891.  It 
is  expected  that  this  lock— the  largest  in  the  world— will  be  com- 
pleted and  ready  to  opeiate  in  1894. 

From  the  preliminary  survey  to  the  present  time  the  local  charge 
of  this  work  has  beer  in  the  hands  of  Col.  E.  S.  Wheeler,  assistant 
engineer  and  general  superintendent  of  St.  Mary's  Falls  canal,  to 
whom  much  credit  is  due  for  the  admirable  manner  in  which  the 
work  has  been  done  and  the  excellent  progress  made. 


A 


t 


EFORE  improvements  were  commenced,  the  channel  through 
;»1  Hay  Lake  was  shallow  in  depth  at  Sugar  Island  Rapids 
and  at  the  Middle  Neebish;  at  these  two  places  a  maximum 
draught  of  but  eight  or  nine  feet  could  be  carried  if  a  very  irregu- 
lar course  was  taken,  and  practically,  vessels  drawing  more  than 
six  feet  of  water  would  not  attempt  the  passage.  In  addition  to  the 
places  above  mentioned,  there  were  some  shoals  in  Hay  Lake 
requiring  removal  to  make  the  channel  available  for  the  vessels 
navigating  the  St.  Mary's  river.  The  original  estimate  for  this 
improvement  was  based  upon  a  project  for  a  channel  300  feet  wide 
and  17  feet  deep,  leaving  the  present  navigable  channel  of  St. 
Mary's  river  at  Sugar  Island  Rapids  (about  two  and  a  half  mi!es 
below  the  canal),  through  these  into  Hay  Lake  and  then,  by  way 
of  the  Middle  Neebish,  rejoining  the  present  navigable  channel  at 
the  foot  of  Sugar  Island,  thus  saving  a  distance  of  eleven  miles 
and  obtaining  a  route  which  can  be  so  marked  by  lights  as  to  be 
navigable  at  night— a  condition  impracticable  with  the  present 
channel  except  by  the  use  of  many  lights.  The  estimated  cost  of 
this  project  was  1^2, 127, 292.  The  project  was  subsequently  modified 
to  increase  the  depth  to  20  feet,  the  estimated  cost  being  $2,659,115. 
subject  to  change,  however,  in  case  unexpected  difficulties  are 
developed  during  the  progress  of  the  work. 

This  work,  as  well  as  the  building  of  the  new  lock  at  the  canal,  is 
in  charge  of  Gen.  O.  M.  Poe  of  the  United  States  engineers,  while 
Col.  E.  S.  Wheeler,  assistant  United  States  engineer  and  general 
superintendent  of  the  canal  tad  river  work,  has  the  personal  super- 
vision. 

The  work  upon  this  channel  is  well  advanced  and   progressing 

nicely. 


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